The WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre (GTMC) organizes a keynote plenary panel, "Restoring balance: Scaling up access to evidence-based traditional medicine for health and well-being" at the World Health Summit (WHS) Regional Meeting at 15:15 - 16:45 IST on Friday, 25 April 2025.
This panel will explore how the combination of ancient wisdom and modern science can increase universal access to safe, effective and people-centred traditional medicine to strengthen equity and to meet rising consumer demand for greater health care choices. Ministers, private sector CEOs, scientists, and UN leaders will discuss how advances in science, technology and innovation are backing the growing embrace of holistic concepts of well-being to deliver better health for both people and planet.
Rationale and Relevance to Policy:
Countries are challenged to deliver affordable, accessible, people-centred care to increase equity and improve well-being. Traditional medicine, including complementary, integrative, and Indigenous and ancestral practices, offers a valuable pathway for scaling up access to health and well-being.
Billions of people around the world use traditional and complementary medicine – for many, as their only source of care. Trusted practitioners, including those with university-level accreditations, can play a valuable role in filling health workforce gaps. Conservation of traditional medicinal plants supports biodiversity and planetary health. Natural products constitute the foundation of 50% of biomedicine pharmaceuticals, and are a critical resource for novel drug discovery and R&D.
The global herbal medicine industry has seen rapid expansion, valued at USD 233 billion in 2024, with annual growth projected at 8.23%, reaching USD 437 billion by 2032. This growth reflects increasing consumer demand, commercialization, and integration of herbal medicine into mainstream healthcare. Significant new opportunities are driven by research findings, such as dehydrated greens for treating anemia, and the integration of Ayurvedic practices and yoga with biomedicine for successful management of filarial lymphedema.
Yet challenges persist, including the need for greater scientific validation, regulatory oversight, and sustainability. Increasing consumer and commercial demands, alongside inconsistent quality control, safety monitoring gaps, and environmental concerns, require more scientific innovation, regulatory reform, consumer engagement, and sustainable resource management. The draft WHO Global Strategy for Traditional Medicine, 2025-2034, slated for discussion at the 78th World Health Assembly in May, responds to rising demand for greater evidence and guidance on the integration of safe and effective traditional medicine with biomedical care. Increasing use of AI and other technologies, along with prioritized investments in scientific discovery, partnerships, biodiversity protection, and legal frameworks for community benefit-sharing can accelerate progress toward UHC and a “One Health” approach to reaching the SDGs.